Switching mechanism for multiple way adapters



Feb. 2, 1943. G, RAFT N 2,309,921

SWITCHING MECHANISM FOR MULTIPLE WAY ADAPTERS Fiied Jan. 14, 1941 UNITED snares SWITCHING MECHANISM FOR MULTIPLE WAY ADAPTERS George Raft, Sydney, New South Wales,

. Australia Application January 14, 1941, Serial No. 374,390 In Australia January 26, 1940 3 Claims. (Cl. 200-51.03)

ram" OFiFlCE The present invention relates to means where? One of the said metallic sectionshas a slotted by a circuit may be provided from a source of portion equivalent to a face ratchet which is current such as a lamp socket to two or more adapted to be engaged by detents formed on an socket fittings in a selective manner for instance operating segment having a pull cord and being by the operation of a pull cord attached to a mounted to oscillate upon the said spindle.

multiple way adapter. In order that the invention may be more read- The invention will be described in relation to ily understood reference will now be made to a multiple way adapter but it will be underthe accompanying drawing wherein: stood that it can be equally applied to switches Figure 1 is an inside view of one half of the per se. casing with the rotor removed showing the three The invention is preferably housed in a oasbottom contacts and one of the metal sleeves. ing of insulating material divided centrally into Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, with two parts or the said casing may be hollow or the rotor in position on the central spindle and cup shaped and adapted to be closed by a cover. the three top contacts in position with the top The casing is provided with a plurality of cover or half of the casing removed. limbs, three for example, one of which is in Figure 3 is a plan view of the four toothed the form of a plug and is adapted for connecrotor with the brass insert in position. tion with the bayonet joint of a lamp fitting Figure 3a is a side elevation of the rotor seen from which current is to be taken. This plug in Figure3 looking from the left. has two contacts embedded therein. Figure 4 is an inverted plan view of Figure 3. The other two limbs of the casing are bayonet Figure 5 is a side elevation of the top conor like socket fittings and each contains two tact from the main branch, showing the ratchet spring plunger type contacts. Each of the four spring and fixing collar on the central spindle. spring contacts connects inside the casing with Figure 6 is a plan view of the form of ratchet a respectivespring strip contact. One of the used with the four tooth rotor. said spring strip contacts of each of the said Figure 7 is a plan view of a modified form bayonet socket limbs is disposed in a common of rotor having eight teeth with the brass insert plane while the remaining spring contact strips removed.

are disposed in another common plane either Figure 8 is a side elevation of the rotor seen above or below the former plane assuming the in Figure7 looking from the right, while casing to be laid flat. Figure 9 is a section on the line 5-9 of Fig- Centrally within the casing there is a metallic ure 7.

spindle which is electrically connected to one Figure 10 is a plan view of the top brass rotor of the contacts of the plug limb of the casing. contact for use with the rotor seen in Figure '2',

The other contact of the said limb is connected while to a flat contact member having an annular Figure 11 is an inverted plan view of the lower portion disposed concentrically with respect to brass rotor contact therefor.

the spindle and. insulated therefrom. Figure 12 is a plan view of that form of ratchet A rotor is mounted upon the spindle and conmember used with the eight toothed rotor, and

sists of an insulated disc, on either side of which Figure 13 is a side elevation thereof.

is formed an insulated ratchet portion; the whole As illustrated, the casing 28 has three limbs of which however may be mounted in one piece. 2|, 22 and 23 and is divided into two parts lon- Upon each ratchet face a metallic section is gitudinally. The limb 2i is provided with bayoplaced having portion thereof bent at right annet pins 24 for connection to a lamp socket or gles over some of the ratchet teeth on the insuthe like from which current may be received lated ratchets. for supplying one or both of the other limbs In the case of a two way adapter at least two 22 and 23 each of which is fitted with a sleeve metallic teeth are thus provided on each ratchet 25 in well known manner.

portion for each limb of the adapter, so as to p The limb 21 has contacts 26 and 21 and the give effective intermittent action. limbs 22 and 23 have spring plunger type con- The contact springs of the adapter socket pins tacts 28, 29, 3D and 3| respectively. Spring strip in the respective planes engage the respective contacts 32, 33, 3! and 35 are connected respecratchets on either side of the centre of the intively to the contacts 28, 29, 30 and 3!. It will sulated rotor depending upon in which of the be noted from Figure 2 that the spring strip two planes they are dispose 5? contacts 32 and 35 are in the same plane and In order to bring about the desired selection or switching action for the contacts of limbs 22 and 23 a rotor 40 Figures 2, 3, 3a, and 4 or alternatively Figures 7, 8 and 9 is provided. The rotor may be' provided with four teeth as seen in Figures 3 and 3a or with eight teeth as seen in Figure '7 or any multiple thereof.

The rotor 40 which is mounted to rotate upon the spindle 36 is formed with a ratchet portion 4| and 42 disposed on either side of a central portion 43, all formed of insulating material.

A metallic section 44 is secured on the face of ratchet portion 4| and a metallic section 45 is secured on the face of ratchet portion 42. The sections 44 and 45 are stampings or pressings and form, or extend over, some of the teeth of the said rotor 46.

In the case of a two-way adapter switch as illustrated, at least two metallic teeth 46 are provided by the metallic sections 44 and 45 for each current distributing limb so as to give effective intermittent action.

The space occupied by the insulated teeth which are disposed between the first and last of the metallic teeth may be formed as a curved surface instead of being provided with teeth.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 it will be seen that the spring strip contacts 32 and are adapted to engage the metallic teeth 46 of ratchet portion 4| while the spring strip contacts 33 and 34 are adapted to engage the metallic teeth 46 of ratchet portion 42.

The metallic section 44, Figures 3 and 10, has face ratchet teeth 41 which are adapted to be engaged by detents 48 formed on an operating segment 49, see Figures 2 and 6 or 12 and 13 to which the usual pull cord 56, see Figure 2, is attached the said cord 56 passing through hole 5| in the casing 20. The operating segment 49 is loosely mounted upon the metallic spindle 36 and is adapted to be oscillated by the said pull cord 56 against the action of a spring 52, see Figure 5. The spring 52 is concentrically mounted upon the metallic spindle 36 and is secured at one end to a tongue 53 on the operating segment 49 and at its other end to the claws 54 on the flat fitting 37, see Figures 2 and 5.

To limit the forward and return travel of the operating segment 49 stops 55 are formed integral with the fiat fitting 31, see Figures 2 and 5, and are engaged by the upturned portion 56 of the said operating segment 49, see Figures 6 and 12.

In use, when the cord 50 is pulled the respec tive spring strip contacts 32 and 35, and 33 and 34 .engage the metal sections 44 and respectively and alternately the insulated portions 4| and 42 respectively thereby supplying current to the two limbs 22 and 23.

As illustrated in Figure 2 the strip contacts 32 and 33 are on metal contacts 44 and 45 and strip contacts 34, 35 are on insulated portions 4| and 42 respectively of the rotor 46.

In this position a two pole connection is made from limb 2| to limb 22' via parts 21, 31, 36, 44, 32, 28, 29, 33, 45, 38 and 26.

If now the cord 50 is pulled to move the rotor 40 clockwise the strip contacts 32 and 33 leave the parts 44 and 45 respectively and engage the insulated parts 4| and 42 the circuit to limb 22 will be broken at 44 and 45 and neither limb 22 nor 23 will receive current.

Similarly the limb 23 may be connected and disconnected electrically with the limb 2| through spring strip contacts 34 and 35 and their associated parts.

As illustrated in Figure 2 only, limb 22 is in electrical connection with limb 2|, but as there are two or a multiple of two metal teeth 46 on the rotor 40 selectivity may be arranged with regard to the supply of current to one or both or neither of the limbs 22 and 23 in accordance with known intermittent switch action practice.

I claim:

1. A multiple way switch mechanism for making and breaking both sides of a circuit from a source of current to a plurality of pairs of dis tributing terminals comprising, a casing of insulating material, a spindle mounted on the-casing, a rotor mounted for rotation on the spindle, an insulated portion and a metal portion disposed in one plane of said rotor, a second metal portion and a second insulated portion disposed in another plane on said rotor, a disc of insulating material extending circumferentially of the rotor between the first and second metal portions, means providing an electrical connection from one side of an electrical source to said spindle, means providing an electrical connection between the spindle and one of said metal portions, a contact member surrounding said spindle in a spaced relation engaging the other metal portion on said rotor and connected to the other side of said source, a plurality of circumferentially spaced contact strips arranged in a common plane for engaging one metal portion, and a plurality or" circumferentially spaced contact strips arranged for engaging the other metal portion of the rotor and separated from the first contact strips adjacent the rotor by means of said disc.

2. A multiple way intermittent switching mechanism for connecting a source of current having two supply terminals in selective manner with at least two distributing. points each having two distributing terminals, comprising a casing of insulating material, a spindle secured at one end to the casing and being electrically connected to one of the supply terminals, insulated portions and metallic sections comprising a rotor mounted for intermittent rotation upon the spindle, said metallic sections on the rotor being of toothed formation and separated longitudinally by an insulated portion, one of said metallic sections on the rotor being electrically connected to the spindle and thence to the supply terminal and the other of said metallic portions of the rotor being electrically connected to the other of said supply terminals, a spring contact for a distributing terminal of one distributing point, a spring contact for a distributing terminal of a second distributing point both of said spring contacts engaging one and the same.metallic portion of the rotor, spring contacts for the remaining distributing terminals of the respective distributing points engaging the other of the metallic portions, and means mounted upon the spindle for intermittently rotating the rotor.

3. A multiple way having two supply terminals in selective manner with at least two distributing points each ha'v intermittent switching v mechanism for connecting asource of current' ing two distributing terminals, comprising a casing of insulating material, a spindle secured at one end to the casing and being electrically connected to one of the supply terminals, insulated portions and metallic sections comprising a rotor mounted for intermittent rotation upon the spindle, said. metallic sections on the rotor being of toothed formation and separated longitudinally by an insulated portion, one of said metallic sections on the rotor being electrically connected to the spindle and thence to the supply terminal and the other of said metallic portions of the rotor being electrically connected to the other of said supply terminals, a spring contact for a distributing terminal of one distributing point, a

spring contact for a distributing terminal of a second distributing point both of said spring contacts engaging one and the same metallic portion of the rotor, spring contacts for the remaining distributing terminals of the respective distributing points engaging the other of the metallic portions, face ratchet teeth formed upon a metallic section connected electrically to the spindle, a segment loose on the spindle and having detents for engaging the teeth of the metallic section, a coiled spring disposed concentrically upon the spindle and secured at one end to the segment and at the other end to a flat contact fitting, and stops formed integral with the contact fitting to engage the segment and ensure alignment of the rotor with the contact springs.

GEORGE RAFT. 

